When they arrived, they went directly to Moses, Aaron and the entire Israelite community, [who were] in the Paran Desert near Kadesh. They brought their report to [Moses, Aaron], and the entire community, and showed them fruit from the land.

They began to speak badly about the land that they had explored. They told the Israelites, 'The land that we crossed to explore is a land that consumes its inhabitants. All the men we saw there were huge!

Shamua Possibly a form of Samuel or Sh'muel (cf. Septuagint). See 1 Chronicles 4:26.

Caleb son of Yefuneh See Numbers 13:30, 14:6, etc. He was 40 years old at the time (Joshua 14:6,7). According to tradition, he is the same as Caleb son of Chetzron mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:9 (Yerushalmi, Yevamoth 10:7), and was thus a great-grandson of Judah (cf. Genesis 46:12). He was the step-brother of Othniel son of Kenaz (Joshua 15:17; Sotah 11b). Caleb married Miriam and was the father of Chur (1 Chronicles 2:19,20; Targum ad loc; Sifri). He also married Bithia, the daughter of Pharaoh who raised Moses (Megillah 13a, from 1 Chronicles 4:18; see note on Exodus 2:5). Also see 1 Chronicles 2:42-50, 4:15.

Moses gave Hoshea... Some say that Moses renamed him Joshua earlier, when he first became Moses' servant, so the name Joshua is used earlier in Exodus 17:9, etc. (Rashbam; Chizzkuni). Others say that his true name was Joshua, but he used the anonym Hoshea because he would be passing dangerously near Amalekite territory (Chizzkuni). Other sources, however, indicate that he was given the name of Joshua at this time (Rashi; Ralbag), but the Torah uses the name Joshua earlier because this became his final name (Sforno).

Rechov This is to the north-west of the Holy Land (Chizzkuni). Some say that it is in Asher (cf. Joshua 19:28,30, 21:31, Judges 1:31, 2 Samuel 10:8, 1 Chronicles 6:60). Some identify it with Beth Rechov (Judges 18:28). Other sources, however, translate it as 'the highway heading to Chamath' (Targum Yonathan).

Chamath A large city, some 160 miles north of the Holy Land on the Orontes River. It was a major city in ancient times (cf. Numbers 34:8). Some sources identify it with Antioch (Targum Yonathan).

they Literally, 'he.' Some say that only Caleb went to Hebron (Sotah 34b; Rashi; Rashbam). He was therefore given Hebron as his inheritance, see Numbers 14:24.

Achiman... See note on Genesis 23:2. They were later driven out by Caleb (Joshua 15:14), and killed (Judges 1:10).

Giant (Targum; Saadia). Some say that Anak is a proper name (Targum Yonathan; Septuagint).

Tzoan This is identified with Tanis (Targum; Septuagint), a city south of the Delta. According to tradition, Hebron was built at the time of the Tower of Babel in 1996 or 1764 b.c.e. (Seder HaDoroth 1996). This would indicate that Tanis was built in 2003 or 1757 b.c.e. However, if we allow for the 163 year discrepancy (see Genesis 12:15, Exodus 2:23), then Tanis was built in 1920 b.c.e. Tanis was the capital of the Hyksos.

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